


The zombie apocalypse + Jason Todd + a dog

by Jaylad



Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU (Comics), Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics), Red Hood: Lost Days, Under the Red Hood
Genre: Hurt Damian Wayne, Hurt Dick Grayson, Hurt Jason Todd, Jason Todd Needs A Hug, Jason Todd is Red Hood, Jason Todd-centric, Jason is a Dork, Other, Protective Jason Todd, Resurrected Jason Todd, Soft Jason Todd, Zombie Jason Todd, hurt time drake, jason gets a dog, jason todd loves books, tagging is hard
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-13
Updated: 2020-03-13
Packaged: 2021-02-28 22:48:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,410
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23125015
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jaylad/pseuds/Jaylad
Summary: the zombie apocalypse started right were Jason thought it would, Gotham city. Rat filled streets and body’s lining the ally ways was a perfect spot for this virus to start.Jason being undead to the undead was perfectly content to walk and wonder with his new dog, until.
Relationships: Cassandra Cain & Jason Todd, Dick Grayson & Jason Todd, Duke Thomas & Jason Todd, Jason Todd & Bruce Wayne, Jason Todd & Damian Wayne, Stephanie Brown & Jason Todd, Tim Drake & Jason Todd
Comments: 13
Kudos: 182





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> hello, this is my first time posting on here and just won’t you guys to know all feedback is welcome. Please do tell how I butchered the English language on this paragraph and how I just started slamming keys and hoped it works in this sentence. :)

Jason decided if the zombie apocalypse were to happen, Gotham would definitely be where it started or maybe Bludhaven that place was almost or even more fucked up then Gotham. Luckily he had been nowhere near any of those godforsaken bat filled towns when the virus started to spread. Not that it would take long to move to other cities and states.

Jason also decided that if the zombie apocalypse were to start that he would either be as far away as possible or right in the middle. And that’s how he came to his decision to travel all the way back to Gotham. The starting point. 

His travels to the city gave him one of the best possible pieces of knowledge. He was also considered undead to the undead. They had not even so much as glanced his way the entire travel from Europe to Gotham.

It was almost peaceful, all the city residence had been turned to zombies or fled. It was the most quiet he had heard in Gotham since, well since being dead and six feet under. The noise reception isn’t that great down there believe it or not.

sometimes he did miss human contact. Not that he would ever amid it. The constant quiet beside a spar moan from the zombies teetering nearby was almost lonely and sad. Some days he would silently wish for one of Roy's bad dad jokes or dicks endless rambles. Hell he’d even listen to the replacement talk about geeky stuff. 

So to fill the lonely silence he stole a phone, phone charger and headphones. Music became his best friend.

Until he meant a filthy flea ridden mutt. Probably one of the most pathetic and sad looking things he had seen in apocalypse so far. The poor thing was skin and bone. He could see why a zombie had never tried to take a bite of him.  
So he did what any lonely half undead vigilante would. Broke Into a house, ignoring for the various moans coming from the seller, sucided pacts were a big thing when the apocalypse first started, he found that out the hard way, and turned on the bath tap. Not questioning how it still flowed out warm water. And picked up the mutt. 

See this pooch was definitely not a small boy, and if properly fed would most likely weighed about 80to 90 pounds. Not that Jason cared. He had been picking up grown men and tossing them about before he had even hit 16. The pooch - Deadboy- didn’t seem to mind the lift or the bath either. He was happy to stay still in the tub as long as he still got to wiggle his tail and lick Jason every five seconds. Deadboy was probably just as happy as a kid on his birthday to get all the dirt and fleas washed and scrubbed off him. And to get all his tangled and matted fur unmatted, cut and groomed. 

Deadboy, named only because it made Jason laugh and maybe there was also the probability that he wagged his tail every time it was said. Not that Jason has been looking for a tail wag. 

Jason and his definitely not dead dog traveled about three more days when the thing struck. Jason not once not ever made and tried to contact the zombies and they hadn’t either. So when a zombie launched himself at Jason, he was the least bit prepared. 

If it had not been for Deadboys quick reflexes and Jason’s frozen state of holy shit I know it. Deadboys tackle wouldn’t have gone down so smoothly. The zombie, Duke Jason adopted brother he supposed, they had never been Terribly close but he had gotten along better with him then Dick so he guessed that counted, was thrashing around on the ground trying to take a bite out of Jason flesh. And Jason was not trying to test if he was undead enough to survive being bitten. so he did the logical thing. Shot him in the head. 

With a quick and quiet whistle Deadboy was releasing the zombies, Dukes, arm and trotting over to Jason. He wagged his tail and whined for pets. Jason walked over to Duke and kicked him once. No movement, not that zombies had the brains to think of a surprise attack but Jason was not taking any chances. He carefully used his steel toed boots to turn Dukes body ever so his face was staring straight up at the sky. 

He was clearly attacked at the beginning of the apocalypse, seeing as his skin was rotting away and one eye was gone. He was dressed in civilian clothes not the bat attire, so the chances of his survival was definitely lower than the rest of the bats. Not that Jason was any bit relieved that his not family might have made it out safely.

Deadboy whined again. Eyeing up the body, seeing if it was a good snack probably. Jason may have shot Duke but he was not stowing low enough to let his mutt take a gobble at his not brother thing. 

Deadboy whined again, and Jason huffed in agreement. Even if Duke had mostly been dead for months now Jason had just finished the job, and it felt wrong to just to leave him here to rot. More. 

So Jason and Deadboy dragged the rotting, smelling zombiefied version of his not brother to a destroyed park in bludhaven. 

If Jason thought that telling Deadboy off for using his not brothers leg as a new chew toy was the worst thing he needed to rasp out that day then Jason was severely wrong. After digging a shallow and to small grave, with the stick he had found and Deadboy’s new skill in projectile dirt flinging. He had to gather up Duke and lay him in a strange ball inside the grave. Before he filled it up with the dirt he had managed to save from DBs mad dirt flinging he said the thing everybody dreads to says. 

“ Would anybody like to say any last words about Duke, Thomas?” Jason glanced at DB, he only whined and his face between his paws. The zombie that had been shuffling between dumpster and dumpster only moaned out a groan. 

“ I guess I’ll start.” Jason rasped out, he hadn’t used His voice much at all, only until DB came around did he start to talk again. And that was only a few words, barely sentences. 

“ I didn’t know Duke very well, but what I learned from are short hang outs was that he was loyal, and pretty chill. Most likely to not rat you out the bats. He was pretty cool with everybody, a proud achievement. Even if his last moments were trying to kill me he was my favorite bat and that will stay for a long long time.” Jason stopped to cough and catch his breath, totally not wiping a tear away. Far off a zombie moaned, and the birds responded with a chirp of their own. 

“Good bye Duke.”

With the last words out he and Deadboy started the process of filling the grave up, and hoping the scavengers take mercy and leave him to rest. 

Duke had left Jason feeling rather unsettled. He had almost discovered a strange sense of peace since the apocalypse broke out. But now that a zombie had sprung at him he was constantly on edge. The fuckers were as unpredictable as rabid animals. Sometimes he could feel them eyeing him up. This triggered a sudden detour of raiding. Not that it wasn’t needed, he and DB were running rather low on food and water storage. But the plan before was to fill up when they finally made it to Gotham. 

He found out just how many weapon stores and really any store with a gun had been raided. Not even a spare bullet was left lying around. The whole thing had been raided. And then the next one, the next one and on and on. 

“You would think with all zombies someone would have left a gun somewhere.” Jason grumbled to DB. “ What did they do, eat them?” 

DB just whined in agreement, he was enjoying the raiding just as much as Jason was. He must have caught onto Jason's New Anxiety because, his tail stopped wagging and he kept his ear pricked up in caution. The other one was too torn up to lift normally, not that he hadn’t tried. 

Jason slugged his pack of his left arm onto the ground. It had rained recently and there was puddles all along the pothole filled sidewalk and road. The backpack strap splashed as it hit the edge of a puddle. Jason cursed and DB barked. 

The whole fucking world sucked, Jason had know clue why he was going back to Gotham and his not-brother was fucking dead because of him. The green edge of the pit creeped into his vision. All his emotions swirled back into the safe and familiar feeling of anger. Jason roared, as he slammed his fist down against a brick building. 

DB backed up and crouched down into himself. Jason back touched the brick wall. DB whimpered. Jason back slouched down against the brick, he pulled his legs against his chest and shoved his face into his knees. DB and Jason stayed like that for a few seconds. Both looking like they would bolt in seconds. 

“I’m a shitty person, huh DB?” Jason whispered. Deadboy flinched at the sound but he didn’t high tail it.

“Can't even be around a dog with out fucking it up.” Deadboy let out a low pitched yip, not of aggression more like mirroring Jason pathetic whimper whisper. 

“ Is it an agreeing or forgiving yip?”

DB wagged his tail in agreement and charged Jason. He stuck his big doggy nose right in Jason's face and licked all over. Jason laughed and lied down on the wet pavement, letting DB cover him in doggy slobber 

“ I’ll go with forgiveness.”

Jason and DB stayed on that sidewalk just basking in the apocalypse for 30 or so minutes before a stray zombie got a little too curious and wandered over. Apparently DBs new look made him much more enticing. Plus he had put on a few pounds from traveling with Jason. DB and Jason made quick work packing up and leaving. It only took one fake zombie growl from Jason to scatter, but the growl wouldn’t keep it away for too long. 

Graffiti lined the walls and ally’s off many buildings. Clearly teenagers lasted longer the most would assume seeing a badly spray painted “brainsssss” lines most of the talented layers of colors. Graffiti was also where Jason got his brilliant idea. 

Keeping safe bags for emergencies was level one bat training that every bird had to know when they started. And Nightwing was a robin and is still a bat. At least Jason hoped, he was not in the mood to shoot another not-brother. So finding a safe bag stored between two vets on a high roof was easy peasy. 

Opening the bag and pulling out one Nightwing custom and some civilian clothes was not. Seeing the suit made Jason eyes water, he quickly stuffed it back in with the rest of his supplies, you never know. Luckily the rest of the bag was much more helpful. He found a pair of Escrima sticks, knives, money, Nonperishable food and medical supplies. A pretty Standard bat bag. 

Jason quickly scaled down the building, his pack heavier with all the new supplies made him just barely teeter near the edge. As soon as his feet touched the ground DB was all over him again. He reached into one of his zip of pockets and pulled out his brand new piece of beef jerky that he had just acquired. DB seemed almost as thrilled to see the jerky then he was to see Jason. 

“Who’s a good not dead boy.” Jason Praised. 

DB tipped and spun around on his big paws. If he could talk Jason was sure he would be yelling “me me me me!” 

“That’s right you are, yes you are.” 

“When did I become a big Softie.” Jason grumbled more for himself then Anyone else. As he stripped the jerky of its plastic wrapper. He took one bite before offering the rest to DB. Who seemed perfectly happy to take it off his hands.

“Now you better not tell any ever about this.” Jason said as he strokes DB. Glancing over to the nearby stumbling zombie. Probably a girl in her older teens. 

“Understand” he barked, that one was aimed at the zombie. She or more of an it now didn’t even glance his way. 

Now that’s that out of the way let’s head out. He tried to rasp out to his spoiled pooch. But his voice didn’t seem to want to listen. It staggered out some nonsense and then stopped. DB looked up from his jerky for a second, and then went back to tearing it into shreds. His throat was starting to hurt again from all the over use. He cursed himself for not talking for months as he reached into the pack to drown his throat out with water. 

As he and DB passed the ruined and half shredded welcome to Gotham sign he considered his breed. The big paws, bulky frame ( he was growing into it) and strange shaped head all made him point tureds a mastiff mix. When his mom, Catherine used to work for Penguin as a waiter he would wait outside the clubs for his mom. He had learnt early on to stay away from the back Doors. Seeing as they were guarded by three big, mean mastiffs, who had no problems chasing him down and killing him if he were to close. 

But his pooch had no issues with anybody, and he was a lot smaller than the other mastiffs. It could have been the other breed that kept him smaller but Jason using his Great detective skills pieced together his mutt wasn’t done growing yet. Probably not for a while. DB was probably only nine or eight months old, barely even done suckling his moms milk when the apocalypse broke out. 

“You had family, didn't you, a mom, litter mates?” DB whined at Jason’s sad tone. “Zombies probably, or where you the runt, not putting up enough fight.” DB for not knowing what that meant sure did look offended. He stuck his nose in the air, let out a big puppy sigh, and picked up the pace. Leaving Jason a great view of his butt as he sauntered Towards Gotham. 

Jason jogged for a second to get back in pace with DB. “I was just kidding, I bet you were a big bad boy huh.” Apparently all was forgiven, because Deadboy slowed his pace to match Jason again and released his big thumper of a tail into full wind up again. His tail hit Jason so hard that the sound of skin hitting pure puppy tail echoed. It was definitely going to bruise. But Jason didn’t have the heart to push him away. 

Gotham was worse than bludhaven. The streets were trashed so badly Jason just took to walking on the road. Suspicious puddles of green and pink gory stuffed splatted the sidewalk and roads. The Zombies seemed to double when he hit Gotham, luckily none had taken any interest in him or DB. 

Stealing a car was probably the fastest way to go, especially if he was trying to make it to the manor by at least 4 or 3. A glance at his cracked watch told him it was 2:40. So maybe 4-5 ish. 

DB whined and sniffed at the puddle of goo laying around. As soon as he got a good whiff of it he backed away and scrunched up his nose in disgust. 

“Not smelling so great DB.” Jason coughed out. His throat was acting up again. At the sound of his name Deadboy bolted to Jason’s side. 

“Alright boy, here’s the plan. We find an ok car, I Hotwire it and then we take to the manor. And hope someone made it out alive.”

His plan was bound for failure. Truly he never really had one, just the sudden rush of he has to check on his not-family. Getting to Gotham was truly the only plan he had ever made. The rest had just been winging it. 

He spotted a pretty decent car, not flipped over and only minimal scratches from zombies. The car, a small grey four seater appeared zombie free from the outside. He checked the inside. Alcohol stains, at least he hoped those were alcohol. The stains appeared to light to be blood.

Jason called for DB. Who had wandered off to smell another green-pink puddle. Only to back up in disgust again, definitely not the brightest pup.

DB quickly perked up again and made his way over to Jason and the car. Jason patted the passenger seat. DB hopped into the passenger's seat and pressed his nose as close to the window as he could get it. His actions got a snort out of Jason. 

Jason hopped into the front seat of the rundown Toyota. That’s at least what he thought it was. The car was so rundown that he was not positive grey was the original color. But all windows where intact and no brains were smeared around so he put it as a win. 

A zombie, far too gone to even guess a gender or age, pressed its rotted hand across the drivers window. This had happened a few times before to Jason, they had never been violent. It kinda reminded him of a sad person. 

“This your car dude?” Just as Jason thought, the zombie only moaned and pressed his forehead against the window. Next to his hand. 

Jason stared into his rotting eyes and made a quick heads gesture of “yea I get it man it sucks” and then sped away.

Speeding down the highways sent a thrill through Jason that he had almost forgotten about. Tires rushing over the ground, dirt flinging out from under them and DB was barking and sticking his head out the unwinded window. Jason turned on one of his favorite songs as he sped through the forgotten apocalypse city. In one ear by cage the Elephant blared out the car as he turned down an alleyway shortcut. 

Before Jason had even realized it he was on autoPilot mode, zooming through the city. Every turn and and speed bump where glided over and whooshed around. He was mimicking DB with his ruled down window and arm stuck straight out. He made a sharp turn down a corner, the cars wheels almost left the road. Adrenaline sparked through Jason as he felt the wind hit his face and the wheels leave earth. He was flying.

DB barked. Jason whooped. Everything was perfect. Until he started to slow down the car. Gas was running low, and he was nearing the manor. 

“Almost the bud, ready to meet the strangest couple of things you have ever seen!” Jason yelled over the wind. His words riled up DB even more. DB jumped, his head smacked against the roof of the car and his barks only got louder. 

At this point Jason was just screaming along with DB. Jason climbed over Deadboy to get to his door. 

“Ready DB!” He barked his yes. “ Jump!” Jason flung DBs car door and grabbed hold of his dark brown fur. They both tumbled out of the car, hitting the green grass that surrounded the manor. The car slammed full speed Into the manor gates. Going up in flames with a big boom. 

“Hell yea!” DB barked loud booming barks in approval. He tackled Jason to the ground and licked him all over big paws pressed Jason’s shoulders to the ground as the manors front balcony door was slammed open.


	2. Who’s in the manor?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Who’s in the manor?
> 
> The Batfam finally get some action, and how do they feel about there half dead brother getting a dog, or well being half dead

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter by far is not my favorite, I feel like its rushed and badly written. I might go back and rewrite it, So look out for that!
> 
> Ps not edit, mistakes are every where sorry. If you see a big one, or any really, please tell me so I can go back and fix them. :)

Dick was checking the food stocks when a panicked and tired looking Tim Drake burst through the door. Tim looking tired and stressed wasn’t a new thing, all of them looked like a truck had hit them when the apocalypse started. Sleep was a privilege. Even if one of them fell into a slumber, nightmares came. No matter how many pills Dick chugged nothing stopped the horrendous dreams of his parents falling as he was just out of reach, zombies getting past the gates and barricades and finding Tim or Damian with him just out of reach, the joker popping in and beating Jason, turning Tim into joker jr as he was forced to watch, just out of reach. 

“Dick!” Time hurried rambles washed away from his ears as the screech of metal slamming into metal struck his ears first, seconds after a boom clashed away both noises. His ears rang. The noise droned out any thing Tim was trying to say. He didn’t even hear the sound of Damian rushing to his side, or the cans of food he had been carefully going over slipping out of his grasp and banging on the wood floor. 

The ringing quickly changed to Damians worried “Grayson!” And Tim’s quick muttering of plans. 

“I’m fine.” Dick finally croaked out. His ears strung to listen to his voice. It sounded wrong, but that could just be that ringing and strangled voices of his panicked brothers muddling around inside his head. He couldn’t seem to separate his thoughts from everything else. 

No sleep, low food intake and stress of the zombie apocalypse seemed to be catching up to all at once. He needed to stand up and see what had made the ear ringing noise. Yet his body seemed unwilling. And the weight of his two brothers didn’t help at all. 

“Get off, get off, I’m fine.” He struggled out again. This time his rib crushers seemed to listen. The weights on his chest dispersed. He pulled himself from the ground. 

“We have to find the noise.” 

“That is obvious Grayson, Drake and I shall look. You seem unwell.” Damian stated. He had never been one to sugar coat; he spoke how he saw things, and Dick knew he looked worse than unwell. 

“It’s fine just surprised me Dami” Dick reassured. 

“Yes, and will a zombie ‘surprise’ you like that too?” He put finger quotes around surprise, just like Stephanie had taught him. 

“Leave him alone” Tim snapped back at Damian. 

Dick figured it would be better to let them argue it over, as he checked out the noise. Both boys saw him head towards the balcony doors, they stopped their bickering to follow him. 

Dick placed both hands on the balance doors. He had hardly stepped outside since the whole apocalypse started. The manor was designed to have enough food and water , if rationed correctly, to last over six months. So the need to enter a zombie filled Gotham was not urgent. With the death of Stephanie, maybe Cassandra, they had never found a body or zombie version of her, and Batman’s sudden disappearance when the apocalypse started. Had him dreading when their rations ran out. 

Dick lowered a hand to his small handgun tucked under his shirt and in his pants. He, Tim and Damian all started using them when the apocalypse started. It was an easy and a faster weapon to use. One shot to the head left almost any zombie fully dead. 

Dick slammed the balcony doors open. Gun pointed straight out. He quickly aimed his small handgun down at the first noise he heard. 

Laughter, Familiar laughter at that. Accompanied by barking, he couldn’t tell if he had gone insane, or if some else had gone insane. To be sitting out in the open like that while a stray zombie could be lurking any were was suicide. Even if that person had a watchdog, chances shouldn’t be taken. 

Dick had been too busy trying to pinpoint the noise of laughter and barking, To look for the cause of the noise. Tim and Damian on the other hand had hardly noticed the laughter, they were staring at the cause of the noise. An explanation between their beloved Manors gates and some run down car. 

The car had smashed right through the gates, bending them in an unnatural looking position. Fire spread across the hood of the car onto the gates. Thankfully pavement lined the area of the crash so the fire spreading was not the most worrisome thing they had to stress over. 

The manor burning down was pretty low on Tim’s list of deaths for them all but with the crash right in front of him, burning to death rose and became almost as bad as starving. 

“Dick, the gates.” Tim said. All emotion leaked out from his face and posture, painting on a fake front just like Bruce. He had never done well with change. The apocalypse starting, his family missing or dead. And now one of the manors key features was going up in flames. The gate also guarding them from zombies. the zombies never could find a way to get over the gates and would endlessly bang the head against the gates until they killed themselves. Now the only way to fix it would be to walk out there themselves and rebuild the timeless gate.

Panic bubbled at his chest. He felt as if he were a bubble machine. If he even dared to open his mouth again and call Dick, the bubbles of emotions would pour out and pop right in front of his brothers. Exposing his fake sense of “it’s ok I have a plan”.

Dick hardly even registered the red that flicked around his vision, off to his left eye the red seemed to grow flickering in and out of sight. But he was too busy staring down at his alive brother. Just rolling around in the grass with a big dog pouncing all around him. 

He did register the sound of Tim’s voice. He sounded like he was trying to pen up the panic with a fake front like Bruce would. Yet the crack of his voice and the slight wimpier at the end gave him away. 

Dick turned away from the grassy side of the manor towards the front gates. To his horror and surprise they were roaring with red hot flames.

“Yea Timmy I see them.” Dick answered. He couldn’t tell if he had actually spoken the words or just opened and closed his mouth. None of his brothers made a move like they heard him, yet he could almost taste the words sliding out of his mouth and into the open air. 

Damian broke both Tim and Dick out of the shock and horror by simply stating the presence of his second eldest brother. 

“Todd appears no different, not that it would have been easy telling apart from all the other brainless apes running around.” 

********  
Jason Todd’s head snapped up as he heard the sound of the balcony doors slam open. Alfred's voice filled his head for a second. “We do not slam doors like they are toys.” Dick stepped outside first with replacement and demon brat toddlering after him like a bunch of lost ducklings. 

“Hay Dickhead don’t slam doors.” Jason yelled up at them, as he pushed DB off of him. 

DB grabbed onto his pants leg and yanked him back onto the grass. Jason rolled around, play fighting him. He would fake growl, roll away and then pounce back. He knew that he looked ridiculous. Especially to his not-brothers that thought of him like a trigger happy Psychopath.

He didn't think any of them actually heard him. Dick had been staring straight at him, gun pointing a little too far to the right. Tim and Damian were looking at the mess he had made by the front gate. Dick had also turned his attention towards the fire that swarmed around the car and over the gate. 

Jason turned his attention away from his hyperactive pooch, and onto the front gates. The adrenaline had worn off and the mess he had truly made looked right back at him. The plants around that gates that Alfred always watered and pruned now blazed away, there was no saving them. The gates were broken and smashed. If they wanted to fix them it wouldn’t be cheap. Not that many handymen where left. And his ugly ass car was never going to be driven again. Not that he cared. 

“I guess I should probably tell that zombie I broke his shit.” Jason thought to himself. “I’ll pay him back if I get the chance.” 

DB has turned his attention away from ripping Jason pants legs to shreds, and onto the balcony. He barked at Tim, Damian and Dick. Gaining Jason attention back onto him. But play had left his mind and stance a while ago

His body tensed at the new people. Ears lay flat and back hunched. The fur on his back, nape and hackles rose. His lip peeled back, exposing his sharp puppy canines. His tail stilled to a low swoosh back and forth. His eyes widened, pupils dilating. He was the perfect image of a rabid animal. Only he stood protectively in front of Jason, not at him. 

Jason lowered himself into a crouch position. He slowly stretched his hands out to DB, mumble soft, soothing and comforting words so as not to startle him. 

Deadboy kept his eyes trained on the collection of bats gathered around the balcony, but his nose leaned towards Jason’s outstretched hand. He slowly brushed his nose against Jason's hands, he leaned on his front paws forward and brushed against Jason's leather jacket. His eyes glanced back and forth between Jason and the balcony until he finally chose to keep his eyes on Jason. He lowered his body until he had managed to hide himself completely behind Jason. Just barely peeking his head out long enough to get pets and then go back to hiding.

“So is the front door open or do I have to climb up the wall with a dog?” Jason joked. His eyes never left DeadBoys body But he stuck his head up towards his not-brothers. 

Dick seemed to break out of his shock first and yelled down back to Jason 

“Yea, yea. I’ll um get the front door, just give me a sec.”

Dick stumbled off Into the manor. His duckling followed suit. 

Jason stood up, his knee gave a slight crack as he stood, startling DB. DB pressed himself closer to Jason, he looked like he was trying to morfe himself with Jason. Doggy pants. 

Jason snickered at that thought. DB glanced up at him. His mood had swung from playful, to angry, to skittish. Jason gave him a concerned glance, and then went back to trying to stand without Deadboys whole entire weight leaning against him. 

Jason carefully reached under DB and wrapped his arm under his chest, the other arm wrapped around his doggy butt. Lifting him into the air. DB let out a quiet wimpier but seemed much more content to be carried. 

If Jason had been a normal person he probably would have staggered under the full weight of a mastiff something mix. If he had been a normal person he probably wouldn’t have been able to pick him up. But Jason definitely was not a normal. So he and DB made their way into the manor easily. 

Dick was there waiting for him. The door barely opened a crack until he saw Jason. Then the door flew open. He almost dropped DB as his older not brother tackled him into a hug. 

He had barely side stepped before Deaboy started getting wriggly. He squirmed and tried to escape Jason arms. Jason dropped him on the dirty wood floor.

DB sniffed around the side tables and door as Jason looked around the entry hall. The once clean and polished floor was scraped and covered in dirty footprints. Vases, pictures and other trinkets were covered in dust. The once vibrant and gorgeous flows that Alfred changed every week we’re rotting and stank. The door to one of his favorite sun and reading rooms was scratched to pieces. There was no fixing it; a new door would have to be bought. 

“God Jay I didn’t even know if you would make it, B’s gone, Stephanie and Cassandra. I just, god Jay.” Dick broke down into a mountain of tears. His face was covered in them. It was like watching Niagara Falls stream down his face. Jason couldn’t watch for long, before Dick had pulled him into a tight hug. Dick stood there, arm wrapped around Jason's broad frame crying his heart out. DB whined and pushed his snout into Dicks hand trying to comfort him. When he didn’t respond DB shoved his whole entire snout between Dick and Jason. 

Jason stood there shocked, he had expected a lecture on how dangerous slamming the car into the manor was, and how he should have tried to find their location first before jumping in blind. That’s how you get killed, he should know he was killed. He had planned an argument for both of those things. (at least he had planned something haha B take that). But Dicks defeated crying. He had no clue how to handle that. 

Jason looked up at the stairs where both his replacements stood ogling the site of their strong, happy, go lucky brother breaking down on their strange as fuck brother. He mouthed a quick help at both of them, but Tim just pulled Damian up by his arm and dragged him up the stairs. Saying something about this being Dicks business. Jason could hear Damian famous “tt” and a whined out “Drake” before they both were out of ear shot. 

“I’m sorry Jason, I know how you hate being touched. I-I I just have been taking on so much and Tim and Damian are just kids.” Dicks words jumbled up and slurred out all together. If Jason hadn’t been watching him break down, he would have thought that Dick was drunk off his ass. 

“Dick, calm down I’m here, I can help.” Jason tried to sooth Dick with his words of comfort 

Dick just started crying harder. Tears piled up around Dicks eyes, the front of Jason’s shirt was completely soaked. 

Dicks arms carefully unwrapped themselves from around Jason’s waist. He sniffled once, his hand went up to wipe away a stray tear. 

Jason stood uncomfortably in the walkway. He had never been the good one with emotions, that was Dick. Yet here Dick was, crying his heart out in Jason looking for consoles. 

Dick looked at Jason helplessly, his mouth opened and closed. Words lost at the tip of his tongue. He hadn’t planned this far. Just seeing another adult, and his brother nonetheless safe and healthy looking had him breaking down. Dick had carried the weight of his brothers, other families disappearance and Bruce’s comm going out all by himself. He couldn’t have let Tim or Damian do something like that, they were just too young. Yet seeing Jason standing in, newish clothes, minimum eye bags, not even a little bit starved and a dog, gave himself some sort of breakdown pass. 

Jason Todd was no coward, but with the sight of his big brother crumbling apart right in front of him sent his flight and fight instincts into a panic. Jason stumbled back. His feet nocking into each other, DBs body knocked Into them too. He was visibly uncomfortable, at least according to Dicks face expression. He tried to relax his body, and focus his words. But nothing seemed to work, panic built up. He hadn’t taken his pills. 

Jason shrugged his bag off his shoulder. Leaning down he fumbled around until he found a small orange pill bottle. He pressed down and turned the cap. It came off with a, POP. Jason shook one pill onto his hand, three fell out of the bottle, he only had four left. Jason slowled the first pill dry. Three left. 

Dick breaths came in slower and calmer, his body was slowly relaxing and the tears had been dried and wiped away. 

“Dog?” Dick asked, pointing a finger at DB who had found himself a great side table to chew on. 

Jason glanced over at DB. 

“Yea, I picked him up a while ago. He looked like an oversized drowned rat.” 

“Aww Jaybird when did you become a big softie.” Dick cooed at Jason. His tone was teasing, unlike the wimpier he had on minutes earlier. 

If Jason had been any other bat he would have steered the conversation back to Dick’s break down, or integrated him about his health. But Jason was not Bruce, or any other batling, plus he doesn’t are about Dick. Comforting was an obligation. He definitely was not letting this slide because Dick looked ready to fall apart if he even mentioned his break down, definitely not.

“I’m not a softie, I was just hungry. And rat stew sounded good. Plus he was the easiest to catch.” 

Jason grumbled as he walked over to DB. He pried his jaws away from the side table. DB had made a pretty big dent in the table's leg. The dark brown wood around the leg had been fully chewed away. Scratches line the base, leaving small light brown lines all around it. 

“Your gonna haft to get a new table.” Jason said. 

Jason patted his knee and whistled for DB, who came running to his side. 

“I’m going to check on how the food stocks are, upstairs.” Jason and DB downed upon the stairs. DB struggled up the first few steps before plopping his but down on the fourth step, Unmoving. Until Jason gave in and picked him up. 

“Hay, Jay!” Dick called after him as he reached the last step. 

Jason hummed in acknowledgement. 

“Where have you been, you never mentioned how you got here.” 

Like there was time. And did you miss the front gate? Circled around his head. Yet he never spoke them. Opting for a simple shrug of his shoulder, before his foot hit the last step and he was gone around the corner. DB not far behind in his arms.


End file.
